The Seven Seals and their subdivisions
Having symbolised the demise and fall of the (pagan) Roman Empire (chapter 6), the book of Revelation goes on to events which were to follow in the Roman world which replaced the pagan. The pagan heavens and earth had been destroyed, its ruling powers and their constitution had been rolled up as a scroll that is finished with, and the people had been shaken by a total upheaval (earthquake). All was not resolved, for the constitution which replaced the pagan was no more god-fearing than the one it replaced. Whilst the pagan order of things was destined to be destroyed because of its evil deeds against the saints of the Most High, the so-called christian empire which rose up in its place was no better disposed towards the people of God.
There are 7 seals Revelation 5:1,5Revelation 5:1,5XWaiting for response where the opening of each one reveals elements of a time period. This chapter contains the beginning of the opening of the seventh seal. In Revelation 8, there is more details given in the seven trumpets, each with their own prophecy for a time period Revelation 8:1-2.Revelation 8:1-2XWaiting for response
Summary of 7 Seals and 6 Trumpets
‘And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the [Roman] earth, holding [back] the four winds of the [Germanic] earth, that the wind should not blow on the [Roman] earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.’
The judgments of God were determined upon the christianised Roman Empire, but it was inconvenient to the purpose of God for this apostate regime to be destroyed immediately. If civil war had broken out immediately there would have been no opportunity for the Gospel to be openly preached and for others to be joined to the number of the elect. Equally there would have been no opportunity to testify against the christian-emperor and his religion. They were corrupters of the Truth. The agents of divine retribution were from the Germanic regions of northern Europe. The word must be preached first (v.2-3),Revelation 7:2-3XWaiting for response during which time these four winds had to be restrained for 72 years outside the boundaries of the Roman earth. Thus the Christianised Roman earth, and the ‘Sea’ and ‘Tree’ regions of the empire, received a temporary stay of execution.
The Germans held back from entering the Roman Empire to allow for preaching
The purpose of God was two-fold. The newly appointed ‘christian’ Emperor had recognised apostacy as the state religion. The mission of these Gospel preachers was therefore to publicly denounce it as false. In the process they would cause the Truth to be heard by those with a good and honest heart who, believing the Gospel, would have the Word of God impressed (like the signet imprint of the Royal wax at the end of a royal decree) in their foreheads. It was indelibly imprinted in their minds as a matter of full persuasion. The work needed time (v.1).Revelation 7:1XWaiting for response It could not be done effectively in a time of war. It needed peace for the message to be shouted from the house-tops, and for the Emperor’s religion to be renounced. Since the Gospel sprang out of Judah, as did the Lord Jesus, then this angel is styled as ascending from the sun’s rising – as the Gospel also sprang out of the rising of the Sun of Righteousness from the dead. The angel was multitudinous, for he declared, ‘…till WE have sealed the servants of OUR God in their foreheads’ (v.3)Revelation 7:3XWaiting for response
The 144,000 sealed from amongst the tribes of Israel are the Israel of God, not the nation of Israel. They are equally the ‘great multitude which no man can number’, indicating that the number of 144,000 is symbolic rather than literal. Upon enquiry regarding their identity, the answer is given, ‘these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them’ (v.14-15).Revelation 7:14-15XWaiting for response Once the final victory is secured, ‘God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes’ (v.17)Revelation 7:17XWaiting for response
The 144000 sealed
Though paganism was eclipsed (chapter 6), the 'Christianity' which replaced it was equally abhorrent to God. In chapters 7, 8, and 9, the saints continued to spue out the apostacy and were persecuted throughout the Empire. Their cries brought God's wrath upon the Western Roman Empire in the form of the barbarian invasions, and the overthrow of its capital Rome in AD480, and upon the Eastern Roman Empire in the form of the Islamic invasions, followed by the four Turkish destroying angels, resulting in the overthrow of its capital Byzantium (Constantinople) in AD1453.